Russian President Vladimir Putin has also declared that Moscow is ready to use Russian assets that are now frozen in the United States to help rebuild Ukrainian territories destroyed in the war, when a peace treaty is signed. He further explained that Russia could offer to U.S.-based frozen assets up to $1 billion to U.S. President Donald Trump, the proposed Board of Peace, as an indication that it would be willing to assist in international stabilization. Putin added that the offer has already been mentioned to the representatives of the U.S. and he is planning to discuss it during future meetings with Trump representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow.
In a speech at a gathering of the Russian Security Council, Putin reiterated that before Russia officially joined the Board of Peace Council, Moscow was ready to allocate 1 billion dollars towards the project out of the frozen assets in the last U.S. government. He further stated that the rest of the Russian assets that were frozen in the United States could be utilized in assisting in the reconstruction of the territories that had been impacted by the conflict once the end of a peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine. Combined, the proposals will result in a goodwill gesture of donating to post-conflict recovery and international peace programs with money that is now out of the control of Moscow. The amount of Russian assets in the United States is estimated at only between 4 and 5 billion dollars and as such, the offered contribution would be a small yet positive fraction of what Ukraine would eventually need to rebuild.
Globally, Russia has an estimated frozen assets of about 300 billion out of which majority are located in Europe. The Russian leadership has been trying to escape additional economic sanctions on itself or its trading partners in spite of the ongoing conflict. The offer made by Putin is an attempt to relate frozen funds to the useful humanitarian and reconstruction functions instead of letting them go to waste as diplomatic tensions continue. The relations between Moscow and Washington have been complicated, as president Trump has alternated between blaming both Russia and Ukraine on the absence of any progress towards the peace. Although the two factions are still at loggerheads on aspects of the peace plan proposed by Trump, such as the territorial issue, the drive by Russia is a sign that it would participate in the future through the provision of finance in the recovery and peace-building processes.
Putin also indicated that he would also negotiate with the Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on the possible $1 billion donation to the Board of Peace, as he planned to meet him in a planned meeting, as Russia had always had a close connection with the Palestinian people. Trump has invited dozens of global leaders to become members of the board, which is at the heart of his peace plan in Gaza and he has demanded money to be permanently joined.